Benedict Cumberbatch fattens up to play Star Trek II character

Benedict Cumberbatch has been eating like a "foie gras goose" while filming the Star Trek sequel.

The Sherlock actor - who plays an unknown role in the J.J. Abrams-directed movie - hinted he could be the villain of the film and revealed he has gone up "two suit sizes" from working out two hours a day to get in physical shape for the film.

He said: "It's great. I've gone up two suit sizes. The character I'm playing, he's strong, I can say that much.

"I've changed my physique a bit, so that requires eating like a foie gras goose, well beyond your appetite, and, providing I don't feel too ill, I then work out two hours a day with a phenomenal trainer. It's the LA way."

Cumberbatch is enjoying filming the movie in Los Angeles, but he has taken a dislike to the noise levels that come from the Budweiser Brewery in the San Fernando Valley, which was used in the first installment of the franchise as the engine room of the Starship Enterprise.

He explained: "It's noisy. It's very, very, very mind-numbingly noisy. It's slightly like what you'd imagine they'd be playing in your earphones if you were being tortured by some foreign operative. It's not particularly pleasant.

"And yet, it's stunning, and it films beautifully. It's incredible. It's a working, functioning factory, and production doesn't shut down for us being there. It's fantastic, really beautiful."

Cumberbatch admitted the movie set is a "very exciting" place to be and he loves J.J's ability to capture stories in a "fresh and imaginative way".

He added to Zap2it: "It's very, very long hours, but it's an incredible job. It's phenomenal. J.J. brings it. It's a very exciting set to be on. He's very imaginative. He's involved in the details, the acting and all the wonderful ideas he has for capturing stories in a fresh and imaginative way."